K-P govt trims budget for Sehat Card Plus

Several categories for treatment, hospitals to be introduced under a new plan

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has decided to reduce the size of the budget allocated for Sehat Card Plus due to financial difficulties.

Talking to The Express Tribune an official of the health department said that several categories for the treatment are being introduced and data of the families living below poverty line is being obtained from NADRA after consultation with the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP).

“It has also been decided that small surgeries like tonsillitis, appendix and C section will be performed in public sector hospitals only,” he said.

“A new code of conduct has been prepared for the treatment under which new treatment procedures would be developed and in this regard a final meeting is scheduled to be held between BISP and Sehat Card Plus officials soon,” said the official, adding that currently only dialysis and emergency treatment is being done on Sehat Card Plus and all other treatments have been suspended.

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“Currently there are only 132 hospitals on the panel of the Sehat Card Plus including 69 public sector hospitals,” claimed the official, adding that in the past liver and kidney transplants were also being done on the Sehat Card and 40 liver transplants were performed in addition to 70 kidney transplants.

“For liver and kidney transplant government provided separate funds but all the funds were stopped due to the severe financial crisis in the province,” he noted, adding that in addition to the other treatments liver and kidney transplants had also been suspended for the time being.

In the past Rs28 billion were allocated for Sehat Card scheme but now these funds have been reduced to Rs14 billion only.

“It has been decided to introduce categories of treatment on the basis of diseases and hospitals would be categorized as per their treatment facilities too,” added the official.

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The new policy has been given final touches and it would soon be approved and announced.

Background

The State Life Insurance Company stopped the payment of claims to public sector hospitals under the Sehat Card in October this year which greatly reduced the revenue of these hospitals including medical teaching institute (MTI) hospitals across K-P.

Official sources told The Express Tribune that, due to a shortage of funds, these public sector hospitals are finding it hard to even purchase medicines and provide free treatment to patients.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 8^th, 2023.